Ghislaine Maxwell Has Been Federally Charged With Sex Trafficking of a Minor

Updated March 30 2021, 12:59 p.m. ET

Jeffrey Epstein's confidante Ghislaine Maxwell was originally arrested in the early morning of Thursday, July 2, 2020, in Bradford, N.H. on charges related to the serial sexual abuse of girls and young women.

However, Jeffrey Epstein's ex-girlfriend is already facing a new slew of allegations over her involvement in a sex trafficking scheme designed to entice, exploit, and harm underage women. And it looks like the saga continues. So, what's next? Where is she now?

Maxwell is now facing new federal charges stemming from the child sex trafficking case.

Maxwell's case has just got a bit more complicated. While Maxwell has already pled not guilty to the initial charges, the feds have now upped the ante with a new set of charges.

According to NBC News, the feds have filed a new eight-count indictment against Maxwell. "The new eight-count indictment accuses Maxwell of grooming and paying a 14-year-old girl to engage in sex acts with Epstein at his home in Palm Beach, Florida, from 2001 to 2004," the publication reports.

The indictment also specifies how Maxwell allegedly called up victims to arrange sexual encounters and paid them. "Maxwell 'sought to normalize inappropriate and abusive conduct by, among other things, discussing sexual topics in front of [the victim] and being present when the victim was nude in the massage room of the Palm Beach residence' of Epstein," the indictment says.

While she originally pled not guilty, the federal charges are enough to give her a lifetime prison sentence if convicted. So where is Ghislaine Maxwell now?

What will happen to Ghislaine Maxwell? Where is she now?

Maxwell had mysteriously disappeared from the public eye in July 2019, following the arrest of Epstein. 

As William F. Sweeney Jr., the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI New York Field Office, told NPR, tracking down her movements required the close cooperation of FBI offices located in Boston, Mass., New Haven, Conn., Albany, N.Y., and Newark, N.J.

"We've been discreetly keeping tabs on Maxwell's whereabouts as we worked this investigation. And more recently, we learned she'd slithered away to a gorgeous property in New Hampshire — continuing to live a life of privilege while her victims live with the trauma inflicted upon them years ago," Sweeney explained. 

The daughter of British media mogul, suspected spy, and fraudster Robert Maxwell, Ghislaine is accused of using her privilege, broad network, and wealth to evade taking responsibility for the systematic exploitation and abuse of underage women. 

As the indictment published by NPR reveals, the forthcoming court case will focus on the illegal activities she partook in between 1994 and 1997. Epstein was charged in July 2019 with the sexual abuse of young girls from 2002 to 2005.

"The indictment against Jeffrey Epstein that we filed in July of 2019 charged Epstein with sexual abuse of young girls from 2002 to 2005. This case against Ghislaine Maxwell is the prequel to the earlier case that we brought against Jeffrey Epstein," acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York Audrey Strauss stated at a press conference held in New York on Thursday, July 2, 2020. 

As the indictment states, Maxwell and Epstein used various tactics to groom young women. They would take their victims to the cinema or shopping. Other times, they would offer to cover their travel costs or education fees. It's understood they relied on these strategies to manipulate them into participating in sexual acts, such as giving erotic massages. 

As the document alleges, Maxwell engaged in these encounters to encourage the young girls to strip naked or allow Epstein to get closer to them. 

Maxwell and Epstein would invite minors and young women to locations including the "New York Residence," a multi-story building on the Upper East Side, Manhattan; the "Palm Beach Residence," a house in Palm Beach, Fla.; the "New Mexico Residence," a ranch in Santa Fe, N.M.; and Maxwell's residence in London, England. 

The case concerns the abuse of at least three victims, all of whom were under the age of 18 when they first met the notorious duo. 

As for now, Maxwell is staying put behind bars as she waits to go to trial. She is currently being held without bond at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York.

If you need support, The National Sexual Assault Hotline is available 24/7 at 1-800-656-4673. You will be connected with a trained staff member in your area. Or visit RAINN.org to chat online with a support specialist at any time.

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